Curacao

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 61,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

government-run TeleCuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; 2 other privately owned TV stations and several privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.cw

Internet users

percent of population: 68% (2017 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 51,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 173,926 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94 (2023 est.)

Agricultural products

aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Current account balance

-$654.688 million (2023 est.) -$822.667 million (2022 est.) -$508.758 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Economic overview

high-income island economy; developed infrastructure; tourism and financial services-based economy; investing in information technology incentives; oil refineries service Venezuela and China

Exchange rates

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2024 est.) 1.79 (2023 est.) 1.79 (2022 est.) 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.)

Exports

$2.107 billion (2023 est.) $2.046 billion (2022 est.) $1.363 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

diamonds, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, petroleum coke (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Armenia 57%, USA 15%, Guyana 5%, Dominican Republic 4%, Netherlands 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.281 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 73.2% (2018 est.) government consumption: 14.5% (2018 est.) investment in fixed capital: 34% (2018 est.) investment in inventories: 7.1% (2018 est.) exports of goods and services: 63.2% (2018 est.) imports of goods and services: -92% (2018 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.) industry: 11.7% (2023 est.) services: 73.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Imports

$2.764 billion (2023 est.) $2.891 billion (2022 est.) $1.91 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

USA 39%, Netherlands 24%, China 6%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industries

tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.6% (2019 est.) 2.6% (2018 est.) 1.6% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.312 billion (2023 est.) $4.138 billion (2022 est.) $3.834 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

4.2% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) 4.2% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$27,700 (2023 est.) $27,600 (2022 est.) $25,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

5.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Climate

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year

Environmental issues

waste management, including pollution of marine areas from domestic sewage, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, mismanagement of toxic substances, and ineffective regulations; damage from neglect and a lack of controls at major refinery

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 10% (2018) forest: 0.2% (2022 est.) other: 99.8% (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 89% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 24,700 tons (2024 est.)

Area

total : 444 sq km land: 444 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year

Coastline

364 km

Elevation

highest point: Mt. Christoffel 372 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

12 10 N, 69 00 W

Geography - note

Cura ao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group in the Lesser Antilles

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Land use

agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 10% (2018) forest: 0.2% (2022 est.) other: 99.8% (2022 est.)

Location

Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 55 km off the coast of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Natural hazards

Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Natural resources

calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs

Population distribution

largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest

Terrain

generally low, hilly terrain

Capital

name: Willemstad geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "William's Town" in Dutch; named after Prince WILLEM of Orange (1533-84), the first stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands

Citizenship

see the Netherlands

Constitution

history: previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 5 September 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Curacao but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Country name

conventional long form: Country of Curacao conventional short form: Curacao local long form: Land Curacao (Dutch)/ Pais Korsou (Papiamento) local short form: Curacao (Dutch)/ Korsou (Papiamento) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; many historians now agree that the name derives from a similar-sounding word the original inhabitants used to describe themselves

Dependency status

one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands , Aruba , and Sint Maarten

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Consul General Ram n Chico NEGR N (since 9 June 2025); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Maarten embassy: P.O. Box 158, J.B. Gorsiraweg 1 mailing address: 3160 Curacao Place, Washington DC 20521-3160 telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 email address and website: ACSCuracao@state.gov https://cw.usconsulate.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Executive branch

chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Lucille A. GEORGE-WOUT (since 4 November 2013) head of government: Prime Minister Gilmar PISAS (since 14 June 2021) cabinet: Cabinet sworn-in by the governor election/appointment process: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the legislature usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister most recent election date: 21 March 2025 expected date of next election: 2029

Flag

description: on a blue field, a horizontal yellow band divides the flag below the center; two five-pointed white stars -- the smaller above and to the left of the larger -- appear in the upper left meaning: the blue stands for the sky and sea, and yellow for the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited sister island of Klein Curacao (Little Curacao); the star points represent the five continents from which Curacao's inhabitants originate

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

International organization participation

ACS (associate), Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, ITU, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch for life subordinate courts: first instance courts, appeals court; specialized courts

Legal system

based on Dutch civil law

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament of Curacao legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/19/2021 parties elected and seats per party: MFK (9); PAR (4); PNP (4); MAN (2); KEM (1); TPK (1) percentage of women in chamber: 28.6% expected date of next election: 2025

National anthem(s)

title: "Himmo di Korsou" (Anthem of Curacao) lyrics/music: Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA history: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to remove colonial references

National color(s)

blue, yellow, white

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the Netherlands entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Willemstad

National holiday

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967) note: King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday

National symbol(s)

laraha (citrus tree)

Political parties

Korsou di Nos Tur or KdnT Korsou Esun Miho or KEM Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK Movementu Progresivo or MP Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR Partido Inovashon Nashonal or PIN Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP Pueblo Soberano or PS Trabou pa K rsou or TPK Un Korsou Hustu

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on Cura ao from South America in about A.D. 1000 were largely enslaved by the Spanish early in the 16th century and forcibly relocated to other colonies where labor was needed. The Dutch seized Cura ao from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Cura ao was hard hit economically when the Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oilfields. In 1954, Cura ao and several other Dutch Caribbean colonies were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Cura ao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; local security forces are supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)); there are two Dutch naval bases on Cura ao, and the Dutch Army maintains a small unit on a rotational basis (2025)

Military and security forces

Cura ao Militia (CURMIL); Cura ao Volunteer Corps; Curacao Police Force (Korps Politie Curacao) (2025)

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.2% (male 15,069/female 14,337) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 47,258/female 48,217) 65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 11,428/female 16,980)

Birth rate

12.71 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 60.6 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.8 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 29.8 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 3.4 (2024 est.)

Education expenditure

7.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Curacaoan 75.4%, Dutch 6%, Dominican 3.6%, Colombian 3%, Bonairean, Sint Eustatian, Saban 1.5%, Haitian 1.2%, Surinamese 1.2%, Venezuelan 1.1%, Aruban 1.1%, other 5%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 80%, Dutch (official) 8.8%, Spanish 5.6%, English (official) 3.1%, other 2.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.) note: data represent most spoken language in household

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.) male: 77.6 years female: 82.3 years

Major urban areas - population

144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)

Median age

total: 38.1 years (2025 est.) male: 35.5 years female: 40.2 years

Nationality

noun: Curacaoan adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch

Net migration rate

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

total: 153,289 (2024 est.) male: 73,755 female: 79,534

Population distribution

largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest

Population growth rate

0.25% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 72.8%, Pentecostal 6.6%, Protestant 3.2%, Adventist 3%, Jehovah's Witness 2%, Evangelical 1.9%, other 3.8%, none 6%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 89% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Airports

1 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

PJ

Merchant marine

total: 57 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 51

Ports

total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Bullenbaai, Caracasbaai, Sint Michelsbaai, Willemstad